Researchers tracked 169 newly married couples for a period of four years, measuring the couple’s weights and tracking their satisfaction in marriage and general happiness.

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They found that the couples who reported being in happy marriages were also the ones that gained weight, while those who remained slim were more likely to split.

The researchers theorized that this is because people in stable relationships no longer feel pressure to attract another mate, so are able to relax and forget the strict diets.

We think it’s because when you’re really in love, you’re able to suggest getting a pizza each for your nightly Netflix-watching sessions.

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What we can learn from this isn’t that we should all start piling on the pounds to ensure everlasting happiness. In fact, the researchers expressed concern that happy couples could be putting their health at risk by losing their focus on weight maintenance.

They recommend refocusing your weight-related efforts on your longterm health, instead of on attracting someone else. Which is good advice for everyone, really.

But if you are developing an ‘in a relationship’ tummy, just relax. If it’s real love, they’ll have a matching muffin top.